Alzheimer's Importance: Risk Can Be Reduced by Challenging Cognitive Capacity

NEUROLOGY Specialist Prof. Dr. Ali Akyol stated that one of the most important precautions that can be taken to avoid getting Alzheimer's during World Alzheimer's Month is to challenge the cognitive capacity and said, "Even in the older age group, engaging in activities that will challenge the cognitive capacity such as learning to play an instrument, playing sudoku, learning a language, memorizing riddles will be of great benefit." Prof. also shared information about the rates of Alzheimer's disease depending on age. Dr. Akyol said:

BEWARE OF REPEATING QUESTIONS

"Forgetfulness, which is the main complaint, may not attract attention because it is often associated with age in the early stages and the disease progresses insidiously and slowly, as the patients are in the advanced age group. Especially patients with good cognitive capacity may not make their condition known to others in the early stages by using their reserve capacity well. However, after a while, the patients' inability to remember some words during conversation, forgetting where they put their belongings, decreasing the number of words they use, and asking repetitive questions attract the attention of their relatives. In fact, repeating questions while answering the question is another part of the disease." "While the annual incidence rate is around 3 per 100 thousand people in all countries, this rate increases to 300 per hundred thousand people between the ages of 60-69, 3 thousand 200 per hundred thousand people between the ages of 70-79, and over 10 thousand people after the age of 80."

DO NOT BE STUBBORN WITH THE PATIENT

Prof. Dr. Akyol listed the general precautions that can be taken for treatment before and during the disease as follows:

- Do not change the patient's living space frequently, adjust home conditions that increase the risk of falling.

- In special cases, do not be stubborn with the patient, produce convincing solutions.

- Maintain nutrition and sleep patterns.

- Control hypertension and diabetes, avoid lonely living.

- Challenge cognitive capacity, even in the older age group.

DO NOT IGNORE THESE SYMPTOMS

- Their personal hygiene, nutrition, arithmetic skills, shopping and bill tracking functions begin to deteriorate.

- The poverty of words in speech is also reflected in writing.

- Lack of skills is reflected in the use of tools. Lack of perception and skill in commanded movements is added to the incompetence in spontaneous tasks.

- As the disease progresses, social graces, temperament and communication changes, fear of abandonment, and phobias are added.

- During this period, patients may become restless, aggressive, and agitated, which is associated with premorbid personality traits, or they may become quiescent and dislike movement.

- They may be skeptical. Fears and panic may occur.